Tauranga City Council chief executive Marty Grenfell claims there is no record of a 111 call being referred to council hours before the devastating Mount Maunganui landslide.

That’s despite Fire and Emergency New Zealand confirming it notified the council immediately after it received a call about slips on Mauao before 6am.

It’s also expected details concerning the independent review into the slip at the popular campsite, including who would lead it and its terms of reference, could be confirmed by the end of the week.

Six people remain missing after the slip as emergency services endure inclement weather and the risk of further landslides to search for those unaccounted for in what police now describe as a “recovery”, not a rescue.

On Saturday, local man Alister McHardy told the Herald he had called emergency services before 6am on Thursday after spotting two big slips on the Maunganui Beach side of the mountain.

He said several tents were below the slip and he could see others walking on the maunga above the slip.

Fire and Emergency New Zealand deputy national commander Megan Stiffler today confirmed her staff notified the council within minutes of McHardy’s call.

“Fire and Emergency New Zealand received a 111 call at 5.48 am on Thursday 22 January from a person reporting a slip near the Mt Maunganui Beachside Holiday Park,” she said.

“Our call-takers made contact with the Tauranga City Council, the landowners of the camping ground, and notified them of this information at 5.51am.

“The landslip that was referenced in the 111 call received at 5.48am did not impact life or property and therefore Fire and Emergency did not dispatch firefighters to respond, instead we notified Tauranga City Council as the landowner responsible.”

However, Grenfell today told the Herald he was aware of the claim regarding the 111 call but stated the council had no record of it.

“We’re aware that someone’s made that comment, we have no record of it ... but again, that’ll be information that will be sort[ed] through and commented on by the independent person.”

Tauranga City Council chief executive Marty Grenfell expects more details about the review to be confirmed this week. Photo / Dean Purcell

Several residents spoken to by the Herald wanted questions answered about the council’s actions on Thursday morning before and after the slip. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has acknowledged they were “legitimate” questions.

Tauranga Mayor Mahé Drysdale has regularly cited his intention to establish an independent review following the incident.

Grenfell told the Herald he had been given a “cursory” briefing on what council staff did on that morning but would not elaborate.

“I’m not going to get into the detail, but obviously we had a lot of staff on site. Leading up to the slip, there was a lot of activity, a lot of communication.

“All that information’s being compiled and [will] be provided for independent assessment.”

Grenfell confirmed he had spoken with the campsite’s manager, who he described as “distraught, devastated and grieving”.

“But we realise that we have roles and responsibilities as a local authority and all that information will be gathered in a sensible, logical way.”

Grenfell acknowledged the questions being asked by the public needed answering but also that “speculation and comments need to be clarified”.

“Only those that were directly involved in the set-up and the delivery of the emergency operation centre are privy to the facts at this stage.”

Asked how confident he was in the council’s response, Grenfell said it wouldn’t be fair to comment ahead of the review.

He said it was likely more details regarding the review would be finalised this week, including who would lead the review and its terms of reference.

Adam Pearse is the Deputy Political Editor and part of the NZ Herald’s Press Gallery team based at Parliament in Wellington. He has worked for NZME since 2018, reporting for the Northern Advocate in Whangārei and the Herald in Auckland.